Suction picker for container caps



Aug- 7, 1951 D. A. MAcKxN ETAL 2,563,654

SUCTION PICKER FOR CONTAINER CAPS Filed April 8, 194'? 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 ORNEY Aug. 7, 1951 D. A. MACKIN ETAL.

sucTIoN PICKER FOR CONTAINER CAPs 5 SheeiS-Sheet 2 Filed April 8, 1947 Aug. 7, 1951 Filed April 8, 1947 D. A. MACKIN ETAL SUCTION'PICKER FOR CONTAINER CAPS 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTORQ E/ZMac/Yzn BY 29 C I/Voodw// ORNEY Patented Aug. v7, 1951 SUCTION PICKER FOR CONTAINER CAPS Daniel A. Mackin, Jamaica, N. Y., and Carl W.

Goodwin, Plainfield, N. J., assignors to American Seal-Kap Corporation of Delaware, Wilmington, Del., a corporation of Delaware Application April 8, 1947, Serial No. 740,162

(Cl. 22S-88.1)

2 Claims.

This invention relates to pickers for cap dispensing and applying machines of the type shown in the Goodwin et al. Patent No. 2,325,163 dated July 27, 1943, which 1s adapted to dispense and apply to milk bottles preformed caps having a central depressed diaphragm adapted to seat on the internal ledge of the bottle, a raised U-shaped pouring rim housing adapted to extend over the pouring rim of the bottle, and a flaring outer skirt which is adapted to be contracted and sealed around the neck of the bottle. A separate disc is usually seated against the depressed diaphragm.

The machine in general includes picker mechanism for picking individual caps successively from a stack of nested caps, means feeding a procession of such caps through a heating zone wherein they are conditioned for sealing, means applying the conditioned caps to the mouths of a procession of filled bottles, and means contracting the cap skirts for sealing about the neck of the bottles.

In the stack the nested caps advance with their tops foremost and with their iiared skirts trailing. Hence the cupped portion comprising the pouring lip housing and central depressed diaphragm must be contacted by the picker means. 1

It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel and improved picker means which removes the caps successively from the nested stacks Without removing or loosening the discs.

Another object is to provide a picker mechanism of the above type which is dependable and .rapid in operation.

Another object is to provide a device of the above type which operates without distorting the cap shell.

Another object is to provide a mechanism of the above type in which the number of mechanical parts is reduced to a minimum.

Various other objects and advantages Will be apparent as the nature of the invention is more fully disclosed.

In accordance with the present invention, the picker is provided with a suction head including a ring of soft, resilient, deformable material such as sponge rubber which seats against the top of the pouring rim housing of the cap and conforms to any irregularities or ribs thereon for sealing the enclosed space. The head also carries a set of stop fingers which are adapted to engage the inner disc, or the diaphragm of the cap in the case of a cap without an inner disc, to prevent excessive deformation thereof due to the applied suction. The fingers limit the deformation of the shell to a value such that the inner disc is not displaced or loosened. The head is mounted on a plunger which is recijprocated for each cap picking operation. The supply to the y suction head is automatically controlled by the plunger so that suction is applied to the head when in an advanced position and. is removed therefrom when the head is retracted to the cap releasing position. A piston actuated by suction means is provided for actuating the plunger. The suction means to the piston cylinder is controlled by a solenoid actuated four-way valve which in turn is controlled by a bottle-actuated switch, the arrangement vbeing such that the plunger is normally advanced to bring the suction head into picking engagement with the lowermost cap in the stack. When a bottle actuates the switch, the solenoid controlled valve is shifted to retract the plunger, thereby pulling the lowermost cap from the stack and dropping the same onto the cap conveyor. When the bottle releases the switch, the plunger is again advanced into a position to pick the next cap from the stack.

The same source of suction may be used for the suction head and for actuating the plunger. By maintaining the plunger normally in advanced position between actuations of the bottle-actuated switch ay substantial period of dwell is obtained with the suction head against the cap which allows the cap to be securely gripped even when the machine is operating at high speed.

Although the novel features which are characteristic of this invention are pointed out more particularly inthe claims, the nature of the invention will be better understood by referring to the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which a specie embodiment thereof has been set forth for purposes of illustration.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a cap-dispensing machine embodying the present invention, with the picker actuating mechanism shown 4diagrammatically;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the picker mechanism with parts broken away and parts in section;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a vertical longitudinal section taken on the line-4 4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a transverse vertical section taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a front elevation of the picker head; and

Fig. '1 is a detail view of the valve plate.

Referring to Fig. 1. a iilling and capping machine is shown as. comprising a star wheel I which conveys empty bottles from an empty bottle conveyor to a rotary filler .|2, The bottles pass counterclockwise around the filler |2 and the filled bottles are fed by a star wheel I 4 through a cap applying station 21 to a sealing station comprising a rotary turret I5 around which the bottles pass while the skirts are contracted for sealing by traveling capping heads I6. The capped bottles are discharged from the turret l5 by a star wheel |1 to a filled bottle conveyor I 8.

The caps to be applied are held in a plurality ofl stacks which are carried by a rotary turret 2| registering with a feed magazine 22 to which the caps are fed from the various stacks 20 as the turret 2| is rotated to bring the stacks 20 successively into registration with the feed magazine. From the feed magazine the bottom cap is picked by a picker mechanism to be described and is fed to a cap conveyor 26 which feeds the caps in a procession through a heating zone and discharges the conditioned caps to the cap applying station 21. Such a filling and capping machine is described more in detail in the Goodwin et al. patent above described and only so much thereof is set forth herein as is necessary to an understanding of the present invention.

Referring now to Fig. 2, the magazine 22 is shown as carrying a stack of caps 30, each cap having a central depressed diaphragm portion 3|, a raised pouring rim housing 32, a depending skirt 33, and a disk 34 seated within the pouring rim housing 32 over the depressed diaphragm 3|. The caps are held within the magazine 22 by a ring 35 which engages the depending skirt 33 of the lowermost cap and holds the caps in position for successive withdrawal from the stack by the picker means.

The picker means comprises a suction head 40, Figs. 3, 4 and 6, having a central opening 4| and having a pair of annular flanges 42 forming an annular recess 43 therebetween in which an annular sealing member 44 of soft, compressible. resilient material such as sponge rubber is seated. The annular sealing member 44 is positioned to register with the convex surface of the pouring rim housing 32 of the cap and is deformable so as to produce an effective seal therewith.-

The head is mounted on a plunger 50 which is slidable in a bushing 5| carried in a housing 52. The plungerl is provided with an axial bore 53 terminating in a port 54 in the forward end of the plunger. The plunger is prevented from rotating by means of a key 56 secured by a set screw 51 and engaging a keyway 58 in the bushing 5|.

The housing 52 is provided with a bore forming a suction duct 60 which communicates with a suction pipe 6I. Avalve plate 62 (Fig. 7) is mounted in a suitable recess in the bushing 5| and is held against the plunger 50 by means of springs 63. 'I'he plate 62 is provided with a bore 64 registering with the duct 60 of the housing 52 and communicating with a, recess 65 on the plunger side of the plate 62. A port 66 in the plunger establishes communication between the bore 53 and the recess 65 during a limited portion of the stroke of the plunger 50. The bore 53 also 4 safety guard for preventing the operators fingers from being placed in back of the head 40 when the latter is in advanced position. The head 40 is secured against the shoulder 'i0 by a threaded ring 12 which is threaded onto the end of the plunger 50 and carries fingers 13 which project communicates with a port 68 (Fig. 4) which is normally closed by the bushing 5|, but which is open to the atmosphere when the plunger 50 is retracted.

The head 40 is seated against a shoulder 10 on the plunger 50 and is provid-ed with a protective skirt v1| which slides in an annular recess 69 in the housing 52 and is adapted to provide a into the cupped portion of the cap toward the disk 34 or diaphragm 9i and are adapted to limit deformation of the diaphragm which might tend to loosen or unseat the disk 34 when suction is applied to the cap. The length of the fingers 13 may be varied by changing the threaded ring 12 or by introducing shims between the ring and the head 40.

The upper end of the housing 52 is provided with a forwardly extending shoulder 14 (Figs. 2 and 4) which is adapted to engage the cap when the head is fully retracted and positively remove the cap from the suction head.

The plunger 50 is actuated by a piston rod 18 which is slidable through a bushing 19 in the head of a cylinder 8| and is attached to a piston 82 slidable in said cylinder. The cylinder 8| is closed by heads 80 and 83 which are secured thereto by screws 84 and 85. Blocks 86 and 81 are positioned within the cylinder 8| against the heads 80 and 83 or formed as a part thereof.

These blocks 86 and 81 carry axial recesses 88 and 89 having a small clearance such as .0001 inch with a boss 90 on the piston rod 18 and with a plunger 9| attached to the piston 82 respectively. The plunger 9| may be formed as an extension of the boss 90 if desired. Bores 93 and 94 extend through the blocks 86 and 81 to registration with the axial recesses 88 and 89 and communicate respectively with pipes and 96 by which the nuid pressure in the two ends of the cylinder 8l is controlled.

Referring to Fig. l, the pipes 95 and 96 are shown as leading to a four-way valve 98 having a vent pipe 99 open to the atmosphere and having a. suction pipe |00 connected to a suction-pump |0|. The pipe 6| is likewise connected to the suction pipe |00. The four-way valve 98 is actuated by a solenoid |02 which is connected by lines |03 through a source of potential indicated as a battery |04 to a bottle-actuated switch |05. The switch |05 is provided with an arm |06 which is adapted to be actuated by the successive bottles as they pass around the filler I 2. While the solenoid has been shown as actuated from a battery, it is to be understood that `an alternating current solenoid may be used and it may be connected directly to the outside supply line.

In the operation of this device, when suction is supplied to the pipe 95, the piston 82 is drawn to the forward end of the cylinder and the plunger 50 is advanced to bring the sealing ring 44 of the head 40 into sealing contact with the pouring rim housing 32 of the lowermost cap in the stack. When the plunger in its advance reaches a position such that the port 66 communicates with the recess 65, suction is applied through the bore 53 to the enclosed space defined by the ring 44, the pouring rim housing 32 and the diaphragm 3| of the cap. This suction causes the cap diaphragm or disc tufee drawn against the fingers 13. The solenoid actuated valve 98 is spring-biased in such a direction that when the solenoid is deenergized suction is applied to the pipe 95 and the pipe 96 is vented to the atmosphere through the vent 99. Hence the piston and the plunger are normally maintained in their advanced position. When a bottle, in advancing around the filler |2, engages the arm |06 and closes the switch |99 the solenoid |02 is energized, thereby reversing the position of the four-way valve, admitting suction to the line 98, and venting the line 95 through the port 99. This causes the piston 82 and the plunger 50 to be retracted. As the plunger 99 is retracted suction is retained on the cap until the port 86 passes the recess 65. During this portion of the return stroke of the plunger, the lowermost cap is removed from the stack by the head 40. When the plunger has been retracted suillciently to close the port 66, the port 88 passes the end of the bushing 5I and vents the passage 53 to the atmosphere, thereby releasing the cap from the plunger head and allowing the same to drop onto the cap conveyor 29 (Fig. 1). In order to prevent the cap from adhering to the head 40, even though vented to the atmosphere, the shoulder 1l of the housing engages the top of the cap and forcibly removes the same from the head l0 as the latter is retracted.

As soon as the bottle passes the arm I 06 and releases the same, the switch |05 again opens, de-energizing solenoid i02 and reversing the connections to the pipes 95 and 96 to again advance the piston 82 for the next picking operation.

It will be noted that the recesses 88 and 89 and the boss 90 and plunger 9| control the suction at the end of the working stroke so as to bring the piston 82 and plunger 50 to rest gradually without striking against the ends of the cylinder. When the boss 90 and plunger 9| enter their recesses 88 or 89 they form a valve to partially seal oil' the opening to the ducts 93 and 9|, thereby reducing the suction applied to the cylinder 8|. At the same time the air pressure built up by the movement of the boss 90 and plunger Il into the recesses 98 or 89 forms an air cushion to oppose the movement of the piston.

The plate i2 is held against the surface of the plunger 50 by the springs 63 so as to form an effective seal and prevent the suction from being broken by leakage along the surface of the plunger.

The connections in thesolenoid switch |92 may of course be reversed so that the piston 82 is normally maintained in its retracted position and is advanced for the picking operation when the switch |05 is closed. However, it has been found more effective when operating rapidly to maintain the head 48 in contact with the cap between picking operations in order to provide a longer period of dwell for the suction head against the cap. Inasmuch as the cap is pushed olf of the head 40 by the shoulder 1l when the plunger is retracted no period of dwell is required for this portion of the operation.

It has been found that the above-described system operates effectively at a comparatively high speed, such as for example 160 operations per minute or more and effectively removes the individual caps from the stack without distortion and without displacing or loosening the in ner discs.

Although a specific embodiment of the inverti tion has been shown for purposes of illustration, it is to be understood that the invention may be applied to various uses and that changes and adaptations may be made therein as will be readily apparent to a person skilled in the art. The invention is only to be restricted in4 accordance with the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A machine for dispensing caps from a stack of nested bottle caps having a central depressed diaphragm and a raised annular pouring rim housing. comprising a plunger having an axial bore terminating in a 4suction port and an end of reduced diameter forming a shoulder, a suction head comprising a ring seated around said reduced diameter portion against said shoulder. a second ring of soft, compressible, sealing material secured to said rst ring and projecting axially to engage the pouring rim housing of a cap, and a third ring threaded onto said reduced diameter portion of said plunger to secure said first ring against said shoulder, said third ring carrying a set of axially projecting ngers to enter the central cap recess and limit the deformation of said diaphragm when suction is applied to said head.

2. A suction picker head for dispensing caps from a stack of nested bottle caps having a central depressed diaphragm, a raised, annular pouring rim housing and a disc seated on said diaphragm, comprising a ring having an annular channel therein in alignment with said annular pouring rim housing. a ring of soit, resilient, compressible, sealing material secured in said channel and projecting axially to engage the pouring rim housing of said caps and form therewith a. sealed suction chamber, and stop means within said last ring projecting axially into said suction chamber beyond said ring of sealing material to engage said disc to prevent withdrawal thereof from said diaphragm when suction is applied to said head.

DANIEL A. MACKIN.

CARL W. GOODWIN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,153,434 Kruse Sept. 14, 1915 1,553,738 Arey` Sept. 15, 1925 1,777,670 Hausman Oct. 7, 1930 1,992,557 Tone et al. Feb. 26, 1935 2,074,815 Tevander et al. Mar. 23, 1937 2,076,118 Brinton Apr. 6, 1937 2,304,146 Brinton Dec. 8, 1942- 2,325,164 Goodwin July 27, 1943 2,340,639 Brinton Feb. 1, 1944 2,349,523 Sonnenberg May 23, 1944 2,355,385 Lowry Aug. 8. 1944 2,361,176 Garvey Oct. 24. 1944 

